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Thursday, October 20, 2016 France to release dictatorship-era filesHuman Rights Secretary Avruj says President Hollande made decision after visit to BAFrench President François Hollande has ordered the release of classified documents from the French state relating to the last military dictatorship in Argentina (1976-83), Human Rights Secretary Claudio Avruj and Argentine Ambassador to Paris Jorge Faurie announced yesterday.
Speaking to the EFE news agency, Avruj said the French declassification would “strengthen democracy.”“We all win when more information sees the light of day,” the human rights secretary said.
He added that the large number of Argentines with ties to France, including those who fled there during the period of military rule, meant that the forthcoming release of documents would yield large amounts of previously undisclosed information.
“There were many exiles and there is a lot of documentation,” Avruj said, adding that it would be necessary to “label and catalogue” the documents prior to their release.
French helpThe human rights secretary also confirmed that the French government had contacted the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo human rights group ahead of the announcement via French Ambassador to Buenos Aires Pierre Henri Guignard.